Competition issues associated with the trading of airport slots

Transcription

1 Competition issues associated with the trading of airport slots A paper prepared for DG TREN by the UK Office of Fair Trading and Civil Aviation Authority June 2005 OFT832

2 ISBN Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) on behalf of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Printed copy available from: TSO, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN. Telephone orders/general enquiries: Fax orders: Textphone: Crown copyright 2006 This publication (excluding the OFT logo) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as crown copyright and the title of the publication specified.

3 SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction 1.1 This paper has been jointly prepared by the OFT/CAA to assist discussion on the proposal for introducing market mechanisms for allocating airport slots. While the Department for Transport is the UK lead respondent to DG Tren on these issues, they requested that the OFT and CAA examine whether any competition issues arise. Executive summary 1.2 Liberalisation of the air transport sector in the European Union has led to significant new entry, most notably from low cost airlines. As a result, competition for air transport services within the EU has improved considerably. A recent study for the DTI found that UK consumers now benefit from 'lower airfares, more convenient travel times and a greater choice of airlines and quality of service.' DG Tren's recent consultation on changes to airport slot regulation raises the possibility of introducing secondary trading of airport slots with the promise of delivering further tangible benefits to users of air transport services. 1.4 If airlines are able to buy, sell and lease slots, this will sharpen up the opportunity cost of holding onto slots. It will provide them with far greater incentives to sell slots to airlines that would use them more efficiently. This should reduce current rigidities in the system and increase the opportunities to obtain slots. 1.5 In turn this would increase the ability of new airlines to launch downstream services and for existing second tier airlines to expand and better challenge incumbent airlines. Placing greater competitive pressure on airlines will bring benefits to consumers. 1 DTI Economics Paper No. 9 The Benefits from Competition: some illustrative UK cases, the Centre for Competition policy, University of East Anglia (July 2004) CAA / OFT 1

4 1.6 The OFT and CAA thus believe the arguments for introducing secondary trading are strong. 1.7 The extent to which the benefits are realised will partially depend on how the new arrangements are introduced. Any restrictions on airlines' commercial freedom to compete need to be targeted and proportionate to potential concerns (market failures). Heavy-handed regulation risks stifling the benefits that DG Tren is seeking to obtain. 1.8 We have considered under what circumstances airlines could use the ability to trade slots to restrict competition, and how such concerns might be addressed so as to maximise the benefits from secondary trading. 1.9 The combination of capacity constraints and the historical and efficiency advantages that hub airlines benefit from can result in such airlines holding the majority of slots at their hub airports. Where this outcome is driven primarily by efficiency benefits, air travellers will benefit from a more frequent and comprehensive range of services to and from the hub airport If, however, an airline is or becomes dominant it may have an incentive and the ability to restrict the ability of other airlines to compete with it in downstream markets through its behaviour in the secondary slots market. Such dominance is only likely to be possible where an airline obtains a significant share of airport slots and where rivals' services from nearby airports or competing hubs are poor substitutes Under these circumstances, secondary trading could provide a mechanism for such airlines to purchase additional slots and increase market power, to the detriment of air travellers. More broadly, competition could be dampened through strategic behaviour by airlines when selling or leasing slots. For example, they may try to enforce restrictive covenants that prevent the purchasing airline from competing directly with them following the sale or lease of the slot or the onward sale of the slot to airlines that are considered vigorous downstream competitors We have considered how well placed existing competition law is to address these two potential concerns. We note that: CAA / OFT 2

5 it appears unlikely that slot trades would qualify as mergers in this sector there are potential difficulties in applying Article 81 (the control of agreements and concerted practices) and Article 82 (the control of abuse of dominance) to particular types of behaviour because, for example, the fungibility of slots makes it difficult to identify which downstream market is likely to be affected, and furthermore in view of the cost and time involved in competition investigations, if there are issues that can be addressed through proportionate adjustments to the trading system, such changes should be made Our view is that there are some simple safeguards that could be introduced to boost the improvements in competition and efficiency that secondary trading stands to bring. These are: a prohibition on the inclusion of restrictive covenants in slot trades or leases publication of trading information to increase transparency, clarify the opportunity cost of holding onto slots, and hence promote trade. This information could be collected and published by an independent authority. The simplest approach would be for the publication of some price and volume information after trades have taken place. In view of the heterogeneity of slots, the risk of facilitating collusion would appear relatively small, but care would need to be taken to ensure that commercially confidential information was not revealed These rules would be applied universally across all coordinated airports. Additionally, National Competition Authorities (NCAs) could conduct a detailed investigation and propose remedies at airports where potential concerns arise. This would also enable the relevant authority to provide a solution tailored to the specific market circumstances, which could be implemented before trading commences. The NCA would also be able to launch an investigation after trading had been introduced. Such post-trading investigations would be triggered by a formal complaint or by prima facie CAA / OFT 3

6 evidence that trading activity in slots was having a detrimental effect on downstream markets. DG Comp could also provide an overall check through the ability to carry out a European-wide sectoral investigation Together, the above safeguards should minimise the burden of regulation at airports where slot trading is unlikely to give rise to competition concerns. They recognise that competitive conditions can vary immensely and avoid unnecessary distortions that can arise from higher levels of 'one size fits all' regulation. Structure of this paper 1.16 The paper is structured as follows: Section 1: Introduction and executive summary Section 2: Airport slot regulation: the current situation and proposals for change. Section 3: Potential competition concerns Section 4: What form or forms of additional regulation may be appropriate, whilst avoiding over-regulation? Section 5: Summary of way forward. CAA / OFT 4

7 SECTION TWO: AIRPORT SLOT REGULATION: THE CURRENT SITUATION AND PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE Background 2.1 Planning regulations and other constraints such as environmental restrictions on flight movements severely restrict the construction of new runways. As a result, for some airports in Europe, airlines' demand for slots exceeds airport capacity. 2.2 Although most acute at the major London airports, the problem of congestion is also experienced outside the UK. Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan Linate, and Paris Orly all experience excess demand for slots throughout the day and another 14 airports experience excess demand at peak times of the day Capacity is divided into time slots during which the holder of an airport slot is entitled to schedule services. These slots form an essential input to the provision of air transport services at congested airports. 2.4 Ideally airport slots should be allocated to the airline that will use them most efficiently. This would represent the best use of a scarce resource. This may also need to be balanced against ensuring competition exists in the downstream air routes offered using the slots. Competition ensures benefits are passed on to air travellers and, in the longer term, should itself promote greater efficiencies from the airlines. Usually these two objectives will be in tune and thus no balancing is required. Current slot allocation system 2.5 The current slot allocation system is primarily an administrative procedure and is set out in Council Regulation (EEC) 95/93. Slots are allocated by the designated Co-ordinator primarily on the basis of historic use. Incumbent airlines have so-called grandfather rights, giving them preferential access to 2 See NERA (2004), 'Study to Assess the Effect of Different Slot Allocation Schemes: A Final Report for the European Commission, DG Tren', Table 3.2, page 24. CAA / OFT 5

8 slots regardless of the value of the service they provide. This is subject to a 'use-it-or-lose-it' provision to ensure slots are utilised. 2.6 Slots can become available either through airport capacity expansion through slots being reallocated from the 'pool'. Fifty percent of 'pool' slots are prioritised to new entrants 3. In addition, airlines can exchange slots on a onefor-one basis; however they are not free to buy or sell them as they choose. 2.7 Thus, the current system implicitly assumes that historic users are likely to be the most efficient users of a particular slot (unless they choose to return slots to the pool). The new entrant rule could be seen as one attempt to build competition objectives into the slot regime to ensure competitive pressure is still exerted on incumbent airlines, although it is not clear that this aim is achieved though its operation. Weaknesses of the current slot allocation system 2.8 Taking the two broad objectives of efficiently allocating capacity and maintaining effective competition, the current slot allocation system has weaknesses in both dimensions. 2.9 The allocation system should allow for the reallocation of slots as the most efficient users of slots change over time. There should be flexibility within the system. At present, airlines or alliances can reallocate slots internally, but there are restrictions on how slots can move between airlines and alliances or to new entrants These transfers can happen in three different ways: if an airline voluntarily returns a slot to the pool and it is then reallocated to another airline; if a slot is taken from an airline because it fails to meet the use-it-or-lose-it rule; or if airlines choose to swap slots in a one-for-one transaction. These measures do introduce some flexibility, but have substantial weaknesses: The pool: An airline receives no benefit from returning a slot to the pool. Thus such a transfer is unlikely to occur unless the airline in question is losing significant amounts of money on the associated route, is likely to 3 As officially defined in the Regulation. CAA / OFT 6

9 continue to do so and has no alternative profitable routes with which to employ the slot. As a result the proportion of slots available in the pool is typically small and the timings unattractive, making it difficult for an airline to obtain additional slots at the times they need. If an airline were to give up a slot it would be very difficult to regain one at a similar or better time. This gives airlines incentives to hold on to slots for longer than they otherwise would and generates rigidities. Use-it-or-lose-it provision: Although there is a 'use it or lose it rule' in place to reduce such slot hoarding, airlines may choose to 'baby sit' routes by using the slots inefficiently themselves, 4 or let alliance partners or domestic subsidiaries use them, rather than lose them altogether. One-to-one swaps: these can and do occur but are dependent on airlines identifying mutually advantageous exchanges. These do not necessarily represent transfers to the most efficient user, just more efficient users The current allocation mechanism also implicitly assumes that providing new entrants with priority of access to 50 per cent of slots placed in the slot pool will, in the long run, resolve any current competition issues. Even putting aside the issue of what slots are available in the pool, this is generally acknowledged to be an ineffective way of generating effective rivalry to the main carriers. The new entrant definition is primarily based on new entry to an airport, which means that it is essentially only applicable to very small carriers with low frequency services. 5 Such carriers often do not offer a serious competitive threat to the main carriers and it is questionable whether easing the expansion of such services enhances rivalry as much as allowing expansion of well-established second tier airlines or alliances Overall, the current system creates rigid incumbent slot holdings that are slow to respond to changes in demand conditions and this inertia creates significant barriers to entry and expansion. Although there is a market for 4 For example employing smaller aircraft on the air route associated with the slot. 5 The new entrant definition also extends to carriers wishing to offer intra-europe services on routes where there are currently at most two other carriers within an airport system. Among the London airports at least, there are few routes that meet this criterion. CAA / OFT 7

10 so-called junk slot exchanges, the lack of a formal regulatory framework for these swaps inhibits the extent to which such exchanges take place (see Annexe A). As a result airlines have typically needed to merge with one another 6 or form alliances to secure significantly greater access to slots. Potential benefits of increased liberalisation of slot mechanisms 2.13 Liberalisation of the air transport sector in the European Union started in December 1987 and has led to significant new entry, most notably from low cost airlines. In particular, the development of new low cost airlines has provided substantial benefits to the ultimate customers of airline services both directly and indirectly through the competitive pressure they have exerted on the incumbent airlines on short-haul routes. However, bilateral Government restrictions continue to restrict the ability of both new entrants and existing airlines to enhance rivalry on many long-haul routes. Nevertheless progress is being made in this area and we would anticipate future loosening of such restrictions The proposed changes to the current restrictions on trading in airline slots have the potential to increase the incentives on current users of airport slots to transfer them to airlines that value them more highly. The additional flexibility of being able to sell slots for cash; or for other less valuable slots plus cash etc., would provide airlines with greater incentives to transfer slots. This should increase the number of slots available to airlines wishing to expand. This is likely to have a pro-competitive effect in several ways: it increases the possibility of new entry by increasing the opportunities for carriers to obtain slots at capacity constrained airports it facilitates the growth of efficient airlines and alliances. In particular it increases the ability of second tier airlines/alliances to challenge the main incumbents 6 The extent to which airlines of different countries have been able to merge has been limited by nationality provisions in bilateral agreements. These will also be typically subject to competition clearance. CAA / OFT 8

11 it sharpens the opportunity costs faced by incumbent airlines as the value of the alternative use of the slot would be more clearly known, especially if trading involved some ex-post transparency (such as through publication of trading information by an independent authority) it may also have other benefits. For example, mergers/alliances of airlines have well-recognised efficiency enhancing effects and pro-competitive as well as potentially anti-competitive impacts. It may be possible to eliminate the latter by requiring divesture of slots as a means of allowing an otherwise desirable merger to go ahead. Under secondary trading, airlines would be able to sell slots to meet regulators' conditions rather than give them away. This should encourage such mergers and alliances, to the general benefit of consumers Above and beyond these pro-competitive effects, allowing the transfer of slots to those airlines who value them most should increase efficiency 7. These effects will be of relevance to those airports within the EC which are capacity constrained either throughout the day or within peak periods. It is these airports where the difficulties of obtaining slots can (depending on the circumstances) dampen competition in downstream markets. These changes can be expected to yield tangible benefits to consumers of air services. Summary 2.16 Overall, the introduction of secondary trading will offer a substantial improvement on the current allocation mechanism. It is important to note that the transfer of slots (liquidity) is not an aim in itself, nor is it a selfstanding solution to competition concerns brought about by other restrictions. However, it could be an important facilitator of benefits. Thus, if renegotiating bi-lateral treaties loosens the restrictions on entry to long-haul markets then the increased ability of foreign carriers to acquire slots to operate services within those markets should enhance the benefits to longhaul air travellers. 7 It will generally be the case that the most efficient airlines for a particular route should value the slots most highly. It is possible, however, that additional value is derived from market power (for example by a dominant hub airline) which may act against this. This issue is explored in paragraphs 23.5 to CAA / OFT 9

12 SECTION THREE: POTENTIAL COMPETITION CONCERNS 3.1 As noted in Section 2, we expect secondary trading to bring significant improvements in competition and efficiency, with benefits for air transport users. Nevertheless, it is prudent at this stage to consider under what circumstances airlines could use the ability to trade slots to restrict competition. In this section, we draw upon previous experience to consider potential competition concerns that may arise under secondary trading, and the extent to which existing competition law can remedy them. 3.2 A key point to make first of all is that the underlying problem stems from capacity constraints at popular airports. Where demand exceeds existing capacity, new entry and expansion will inevitably be restricted and there may be scope for strategic behaviour by airlines that distorts competition. In particular under the current system, there are incentives to hold on to slots (slot hoarding), as outlined in Section 2. Observations from recent competition cases 3.3 The airline industry has been considered by competition authorities within Europe and further afield in a number of different contexts 8. Consequently we have a lot of experience in this sector, which can be drawn down upon. Annexe B summarises key aspects of this experience. The main points which are of relevance to airport slot allocation are: An airport slot is a flexible asset, which can be used by an airline to provide air travel services in a wide range of downstream markets. Any single airport slot cannot be automatically associated with one particular downstream market. A single airport slot may not even represent the basis to offer a serious competing service to an incumbent airline. A series of lined up slots may be required. Rivalry between airlines can occur on single routes. Such routes are usually defined on the basis of origin and destination and customer types. In some circumstances the origin (or destination) may be associated with 8 For example, within merger control, legislation relating to abuse of market power and in terms of amending regulations. CAA / OFT 10

13 a single airport, but this need not be the case. The relevant downstream markets, which are where our ultimate interest lies, may be broader than the airport in question and extend to include services from nearby airports. Rivalry between airlines can occur on the basis of networks, which yield significant benefits both for the airlines and their customers. Hub airlines (and alliances) 9 can derive substantial efficiency advantages and compete against one another on this basis. Hub networks offer benefits to customers because they can provide frequent services to a wide range of destinations. Hub carriers typically hold significant shares of slots at their hub airports, but may nonetheless face strong competition either on particular routes from non-hub carriers or across a range of routes from other hub carriers within Europe. Airlines can act strategically and oligopolistic concerns 10 have arisen in respect of airline conduct, e.g. market sharing of routes. 3.4 Drawing down on these broad points we can explore the potential impact of secondary trading. In so doing we can also look to the US which has practical experience of implementing secondary trading. Hub dominance 3.5 As noted above, hub carriers benefit from network effects, and compete on the basis of offering frequent services to a wide range of destinations. In the main, hub operators will face competition from other major operators at the same - or other substitutable airports. However, in some cases, a hub operator may dominate slot holdings at an airport and, assuming no effective competition from other hubs or nearby airports, may be able to achieve higher margins in some downstream markets than would be possible under more rigorous competition. 11 The rents associated with such market power could provide hub airlines with the highest valuation of slots at their main 9 A hub airline is one which has concentrated flights through a major airport allowing them to operate a hub and spoke network and thus improve the connections it can offer its customers. 10 Such concerns reflect airlines acting strategically to their mutual benefit but not necessarily their customers. 11 These are most likely to be for direct flights from the hub for time-sensitive passengers. CAA / OFT 11

14 airports. In such a situation, the hub airline is unlikely to be a net seller of slots and may well acquire more. 3.6 Under the restricted circumstances outlined above, a hub carrier may: use slots inefficiently to limit downstream rivalry by denying access to slots to other airlines (slot hoarding) and thereby prevent (or limit) downstream competition. This can be seen as a 'refusal to supply,' and is only likely to arise where a hub airline had already built up a strong position prior to secondary trading (and is thus not an impact of secondary trading in itself) acquire further slots to secure the rents associated with additional downstream market power. Such an increase in market power may also result in an increased likelihood of other conduct designed to protect market power (i.e. predatory pricing). This, however, is a second order concern. 3.7 When considering these potential concerns, care must be taken; in particular: A hub airline acquiring slots may do so to expand services to the benefit of air travellers who are offered new destinations or more frequent services to existing destinations. Just because an airline is the main hub operator does not mean it holds significant market power or that an acquisition of a slot is predicated on strengthening market power. Hub airlines can be more efficient than non-hub airlines and thus may value slots more highly. A hub airline obtaining additional slots at the hub airport may be revealing little about what is occurring to rivalry in specific downstream markets. The airline in question may face strong competition in particular downstream markets from rival services at the same or from an adjacent airport. It is key therefore to consider what constraints are provided by rivals operating out of the same and nearby airports For example, a city may have two or more airports for which flights from these airports are in competition for some passenger types on particular routes. CAA / OFT 12

15 Observed high prices of air routes originating and terminating at a congested airport may reflect scarcity rents, 13 rather than market power. Where demand for flights at a particular airport is high, relative to capacity, we would also expect the price of slots to be high. Therefore scarcity rents will also affect the sale value of associated slots. Just because a potential new entrant will not consider purchasing at that price does not mean anti-competitive behaviour is taking place. Other issues 3.8 The way in which airlines trade may also impact on competition. Strategic actions by airlines could include, for example, refusal to sell slots to strong rivals 14, attaching restrictive clauses to sales to prevent the purchasing airline from competing directly following the transfer of the slot 15 or to prevent the possibility of onward sale of a slot to airlines who may represent strong downstream rivals. Similar actions could also occur if slots are leased rather than sold. 3.9 Similar concerns have arisen in the US especially in view of discrimination with whom airlines are prepared to trade. However, again this appears to be more of an issue in how secondary trading is implemented rather than whether it should be implemented. The current situation provides new airlines and second tier airlines more limited options for acquiring slots. Furthermore, as discussed later, there exist potentially simple rules to prevent the system being abused in this manner The ability to restrict airlines' ability or incentives to engage in such conduct would therefore be desirable- an issue that is considered in more detail in section Scarcity rents represent the increase price due to demand exceeding supply, as such it acts as an efficient rationing of demand as well as signaling the extent of excess demand and thus desire for additional capacity. 14 Despite realizing a lower price because of this, it may still be attractive if the dampening of competition protects profits elsewhere. 15 A requirement not to use the slot to compete on a particular route may not be sufficient. An airline could use the slot to release another slot, which it would then use to provide an additional service. To make the restriction watertight an airline would need to include a broader non-compete clause along the lines of no new flights on specified routes. CAA / OFT 13

16 The ability of competition law to address these issues 3.11 In terms of EC competition law, there are three key areas of legislation to consider: the European Community Merger Regulation (ECMR); Article 81 and Article 82. There also exists national competition law, which can differ in certain respects; and in the UK there exists options for wider market studies and investigations. These are discussed briefly below and are explored in more depth in Annexe C. Merger control 3.12 The sale and purchase of an airport slot is the sale of an asset we have therefore considered whether merger control might apply to slot trades. There are several reasons why this may not be an effective safeguard: it is doubtful whether slot transactions will qualify for investigation under merger control to the extent they do, individual slot transactions may not result in any substantive reduction in competition whilst the cumulative effect of a series of slot transactions may. Merger control is poorly placed to address these issues finally, merger control is designed to address the sale and purchase of an ongoing business. It will not be able to address slot hoarding where no sale and purchase is involved. Article Article 81 essentially prohibits agreements, decisions and concerted practices that restrict competition. It is likely to be very difficult to apply Article 81 to individual slot transactions, because: a slot transaction that involves only one or a small number of slots is unlikely to have an appreciable effect on competition on its own, either upstream or downstream CAA / OFT 14

17 it is therefore likely to be seen as de minimis, unless it is part of a series of individual transactions that together have an appreciable effect on competition However, under certain circumstances, slot sales or leases that contain non-compete clauses could be seen as agreements whose object is market sharing and as such, prohibited under Article 81 without any need to examine appreciability. Article 81 would be well placed to deal with this type of explicit conduct Article 81 faces the same issue raised under merger control. It was not designed to address the situation of a firm refusing to supply a product and, in this case, is poorly placed to address the issue of slot hoarding by a hub airline. Article Article 82 prohibits the abuse of a dominant position. The ownership of a substantial proportion of slots at an individual airport has the potential to amount to a dominant position in the market for slots. Without a series of slots at a suitable time, a competitor cannot operate on its desired route. This creates a potential argument that a refusal to supply by an undertaking owning all or most of the slots at a particular airport could, in some circumstances, amount to an abuse of a dominant position The burden of evidence required for intervention to require a dominant firm to provide access to its competitors is high. The circumstances when a refusal to supply by a dominant undertaking is likely to be found to be abusive and not capable of objective justification include refusals to supply which are made with a view to eliminating competition in a downstream market and refusals which are harmful to the achievement of the single market In relation to slot hoarding this could occur if a dominant owner of slots leased slots to another carrier which it then refused to renew the leases on in order to prevent the airline competing in downstream markets. If an airline is using all the slots it owns itself, it could argue quite strongly that it was making good use of the slots, exploiting network effects to the fullest extent CAA / OFT 15

18 with benefits for consumers. It would also be difficult to identify the downstream markets effected by a refusal to supply a slot (or series of slots) given their fungibility In summary, the burden of evidence on refusal to supply cases is high and this may be inappropriately so in relation to the potential issues raised by slot trading. Sector investigations 3.20 DG Comp generally wishes to pursue an increasingly pro-active competition policy, and has stated that sectoral studies, market investigations and sectoral inquiries will be used to identify factors restricting competition. 16 It is possible that airport slots and the air transport sector could be looked at by DG Comp in this manner In the UK, under the Enterprise Act, the OFT can conduct market studies and make market investigation references to the Competition Commission (CC) where existing feature(s) of the market appear to be preventing, restricting or distorting competition. Suppliers' conduct can amount to a feature of the market. The form of regulation that exists for slot allocation could also be identified as a market feature. This has several advantages: it has the ability to look at wide-ranging aspects of competition and features of the market(s), which will be important in slot trading and thus has more flexibility than say Article 82 it also has equally wide ranging remedial powers, which are enforceable. This can include obligations to acquire or divest assets. It can also make non-binding recommendations to other bodies such as the European Commission Such market investigations could act as both a check and deterrent on hub airlines actions in a similar way to conventional application of Article 82 in other sectors. Furthermore, market studies, if carried out in advance of 16 A pro-active competition policy for a competitive Europe, A communication from the Commission (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/publications/proactive/en.pdf) CAA / OFT 16

19 trading would act as a useful method to determine whether any additional controls are required in advance of formal introduction of slot trading. The wide ranging powers of what to investigate and how to remedy any competition issues means that such investigations would be well placed to tackle these types of issues On a practical level, many member state's NCAs do not currently possess the necessary powers to carry out such investigations. In addition, even where the investigatory powers do exist, they are not necessarily complemented by appropriate remedial powers. Thus, as a safeguard, it only currently exists within some Member States. Wider considerations 3.24 The application of Article 81 and 82 is intended to correct and, where appropriate, penalise infringements of the competition rules ex post. In other words, the enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 are essentially backward looking instruments, and they may not always prevent in advance agreements or conduct that would lead to significant competition problems. Where certain types of behaviour would clearly fall foul of Articles 81 and 82, the legislation may have some ex ante effect through its deterrence of such conduct. However, as identified above, there are some potential concerns, which may fall outside the scope of Articles 81 and 82. Furthermore, the time-scale for correcting problems caused by infringements may be quite lengthy. This may be the situation, a fortiori, in cases where establishing an infringement to the requisite standard may take some time, owing to market definition challenges, for example. Consequently, it may be preferable to provide additional ex ante safeguards to prevent such problems arising, particularly as merger control rules would not be able to fulfil this role As some of the above competition issues appear to fall between the main planks of competition rules, it is worth considering whether, and if so how, new rules should be implemented to meet these circumstances. Summary CAA / OFT 17

20 3.26 It is important not to attribute some problems inherent to capacity constrained airports to the type of slot regulation in place. For the relevant airports in Europe, we start with a second best position, where entry and exit is impaired by capacity constraints. In this context, slot trading may offer considerable competition and efficiency benefits particularly if combined with the liberalisation of extra-european markets The degree of concern that authorities will have about competition will depend on the precise conditions in those markets (i.e. the level of airline and alliance competition for the route at all the substitutable airports). Ultimately, the regulator's goal should be to maximize the potential benefits to consumers whilst controlling for the potential risks to the downstream market. This points to a proportionate regulatory stance that allows for flexibility in the application of rules to suit the conditions faced in the markets served by each capacity constrained airport Current competition law can address ex post some of the potential competition issues that slot trading may give rise to such as market sharing. However, as section three has explored, its ability to address all the potential issues in relation to airport slots is limited. This points to the need to consider additional elements that are proportionate to the risks identified. CAA / OFT 18

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